Hello Everyone, I am not completely familiar with all the parts that make a loco run and was wondering if anyone had a link that showed different components and their basic functions? Most recently I am wondering about the unit on a 2-10-4 Texas firemans side behind and above the steam chest? I am kitbash building one and want to find out this info. Any help greatly is appreciated. TY Steve
Not quite sure what you are talking about. Could it be the power reverser cylinder? A pix would help. MR has had some "what makes a steam engine work" articles with illustrations within the last year. Does your town library take MR? Many do. If so, they probably have a year or two of back issues down in the stacks somewhere.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
If it's the mostly-hidden box with a lever arm connected to the top of the valve gear it's a lubricator that feeds oil under pressure to various bearings and sliding surfaces. There are a bunch of plumbing connections to its front side, under the running board.
The Kalpubco book, Model Railroader Cyclopedia #1, Steam Locomotives, has several pages of text and drawings that explain what the various accessories look like and how they interconnect. It also has a great assortment of photos and HO scale elevations of a wide variety of steam locos. Mine has proven useful, even though I model a non-North American prototype.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Sounds like the hot water pump of a Worthington SA feedwater system.
The Kalmbach book mentioned above has a very good section showing the bits and pieces of a steam locomotive.
I also recommend Alfred W. Bruce's "The Steam Locomotive in America".
But those are books. They aren't links. Speaking of which, didja know there are links on steam locomotives. At least, most of them. I believe this one:
didn't have any.
Ed
I'll take one of these....Please!
http://www.vectis.co.uk/AuctionImages/384/566_l.jpg
Take Care!
Frank
Hi, Steve,
Wander around this site and you will get a better understanding of the what's & whys of steam:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/
If you go to the Builders/Specs tab and open the appliances folder you can look up various types of locomotive appliances.
Judging by your description, I'd agree with Chuck, that you are looking at a mechanical lubricator. The lever was connected to a ratchet device and this turned a shaft that force-fed a heavy, thick valve oil into the steam passages.
Have fun! Ed
Thank you all for your replys...I think based on what I've found out and you've added that it is a feedwater heater...I have a Cary 13-137 3 pc set that will do the trick. Ty again
We seem to be talking about different things. The cylinder mounted horizontally and transversely atop the smoke box, just in front of the stack, is the feedwater heater. The item Chuck mentioned is just in front of the valve linkage for the valve cylinder, that being the open metal triangular crate. The lubricator is beside the valve rod.
A feedwater pump is visible just in front of the firebox front, under the running board.
Here's a locomotive with a Worthington feedwater heater. The hot water pump is located above the valve gear hanger (over the first driver). (clicking on the photos should yield a larger view, and clicking on that, an even bigger and clearer version)
Same locomotive, but from the engineer's side. The mechanical lubricator is located at the top rear of the cylinder, just back of where the low, short running board ends.
These could be mounted on either side of the locomotive, and took their motion from the valve gear.
Wayne
Different Texans had different fittings. The T&P 2-10-4 had the mechanical lubricator. The ATSF 2-10-4 did, indeed, have the feed pump for the Worthington SA feedwater heater (that funny box just forward of the stack is the visible part.) The T&P loco had a beetle brow - the Elesco cylinder was mounted across the top front of the smokebox, overhanging the door. That heater has the Elesco feed pump rather far back on the fireman's side.
One problem with steam locomotives is that, while there was some standardization of locos on the same railroad, there was no industry-wide similarity beyond basic shape and principles of operation. Also, older classes were frequently upgraded when they went through the back shop, to the point where no two had exactly the same fittings and devices in exactly the same places.
I have models of three JNR 9600 class 2-8-0s. The prototypes were identical when built in 1913-1925. As of 1964 they look like, at best, distant relations - the result of 40+ years of modifications not applied uniformly across the entire 770 locomotive class.
Cary 13-137 is a Worthington feedwater heater set, a variant used only on PRR M1a/b and PRR K5 locomotives, as far as I know. The part above and behind the valve chest (cylinder block) is the hot water pump. The visible part of the heater itself was installed behind the stack on these PRR locos. A somewhat different Worthington fixture was generally located ahead of the stack on other locos.
Tom
Do you have any specifics? I want to do a PRR 2-10-4. TY for your help ! As always Steve
Hi Teed
What specifics are you looking for? Construction details for the Pennsy J1 or specifics of the Worthington SA Feedwater heater.
The 125 Pennsy J1s were pretty much a carbon-copy of the C&O T-1. Pennsy even borrowed one to evaluate their performance before committing to build any.
They were very successful on the Pennsy for the job they were intended for and I understand the crews were pretty satisfied with them, too. The War Production Board urged the PRR use an existing design to speed up production and reduce waste.
The Worthington SA feedwater heater was also a popular option for locomotive builders. The site I linked to in an earlier post has some information and examples.
Let us know what specifics you are interested in...
Thanks, Ed
Hello Ed, I guess I need to get the steam locomotive cyclopdeia I keep reading about. Theres a lot I'd like to know. Do those books have accurate drawings? One quick question is what is that box below the radiator on the pilot? I know the air pumps are behind the sheilds. I found a guy named Nelson Pattison who made a 2-10-4 chassis with 69" drivers as a Bachmann replacement but no response to emails or phone. I called Lee English and Bowsers 69" drivers wont work on there 10 Driver frame ( too close) WHEW !!!! TY for any help !!! Steve
teedoff8659 I found a guy named Nelson Pattison who made a 2-10-4 chassis with 69" drivers as a Bachmann replacement but no response to emails or phone. I called Lee English and Bowsers 69" drivers wont work on there 10 Driver frame ( too close) WHEW !!!! TY for any help !!! Steve
It looks like he created a drive kit similar to Bowsers replacement chassis for the early Bachmann junkers. I have built the J and Daylight kits and they are designed to run forever.
http://users.zoominternet.net/~pmd/old_alleg_rr/Project_J_2-10-4.htm and
http://users.zoominternet.net/~pmd/pmd/2_10_4_upgrade.htm
The last time these pages were updated were in 05 and 06, for what its worth. If you cannot reach him, I would set up some search filters on eBay and wait for a hit.
Jim
Ty for your response. I want to to build one old school from a diecast body and chassis and detail it myself. Steve
Ty for your help. The sites you listed are Nelson pattisons site...PMD. I will keep checking. TY Steve